Chrysler Group LLC Demonstrates its Historic Commitment to Supplier Diversity and Minority Supplier Development, Proudly Hosts the 12th Annual Matchmaker Event

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• The premier networking event in the automotive supplier diversity community, grows to more than 2,000 participants, including 270 minority, women, veteran and majority-owned Chrysler Group suppliers
• Created $1.8 billion in new business opportunities for exhibitors since 2000
• Provides suppliers with unique opportunities to strengthen their businesses

Chrysler Group LLC continued to demonstrate its historic commitment to supplier diversity and minority supplier development, holding its twelfth annual Matchmaker event today at the Company's headquarters in Auburn Hills. Matchmaker is focused on providing minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses access to Chrysler Group's Tier 1 suppliers and the Company's procurement organization.

Since Chrysler first launched the Matchmaker event in 1999, it has become a premier networking event in the automotive supplier diversity community. This year's event grew to more than 2,000 participants, including 270 minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned and majority-owned Chrysler Group suppliers.

"Chrysler remains as committed as ever to creating a diverse and sustainable supply base that directly reflects our customer base," said Sig Huber, Senior Manager - Director - Supplier Relations, Chrysler Group LLC. "Matchmaker creates business connections that ultimately lead to positive economic outcomes for our supplier partners, our Company, our customers and our communities."

Chrysler Group's diversity goals require that 10 percent of a Tier 1 supplier's procurement buy be sourced to certified minority suppliers. The sourcing goal for Chrysler Group's women-owned business program is three percent. As for the Chrysler Group, the Company announced early this year that it spent $1.6 billion with approximately 200 minority suppliers in 2010, representing 13.4 percent of its total annual purchasing. Women-owned businesses, which are tracked separately, accounted for $231 million of the Company's spending. Overall, the Company purchased $31 billion in direct and indirect parts, materials and services in 2010. Since 1983, the Company has purchased more than $45 billion from minority-owned suppliers.

"Chrysler Group has developed programs like Matchmaker to build and strengthen our minority supply base," said Kevin L. Bell, Senior Manager - Diversity Supplier Development, Chrysler Group LLC. "Chrysler will continue to create opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses because diversity is in the DNA of our Company. Our goal is a well developed, diverse supply chain that is inclusive to all."

In addition to its robust business-to-business feature, Matchmaker offers minority-owned suppliers unique opportunities to participate in a wide range of development seminars designed to give these suppliers knowledge that can help strengthen their businesses. The seminars, led by the Business Consortium Fund, Small Business Administration, Minority Business Development Agency, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and others, covered such topics as access to capital and minority business services, merger and acquisition strategies and the use of various computer programs designed to assist Tier 1 and minority suppliers to do business with one another. Earlier in the week, the Company also hosted the Business Consortium Fund Seminar for MBE corporate suppliers and it also maintains supplierdiversity.chrysler.com, a Web site that serves as a resource to minority suppliers seeking information regarding Chrysler Group's Diversity Supplier Development program.

Chrysler Group also continues to support several organizations that assist Tier 1 suppliers with achieving their minority-owned and women-owned sourcing goals. These organizations include the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. In addition, Chrysler supports veteran-business ownership through membership with the National Veteran-Owned Business Association.

About Chrysler Group's Leadership Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Chrysler Group historically has been a leader in promoting diversity throughout its enterprise. The Company was named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" by Working Mother magazine 12 times, and has been recognized five times by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as one of the country's leading corporations supporting diversity and inclusion. In 2009 and 2010, Chrysler was named to Hispanic-Business magazine's prestigious Diversity Elite 60, for implementing strategies to reach more Hispanic customers and to pursue more business with minority- and Hispanic-owned suppliers.

Additionally, in March 2011, the editors of Diversity Inc. magazine named Chrysler Group to its 2011 list of "Top 50 Companies for Diversity, and in June 2011, the readers of Diversity/Careers in Engineering Information Technology magazine named Chrysler Group to the magazine's "Best Companies For Diversity" list for 2011. This annual reader survey identifies employers of technical professionals in the U.S. the magazine's readers believe "are doing the best work promoting diversity and supporting women and minorities, work/life balance and supplier diversity."

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC

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